“Wilderness to the people of America is a spiritual necessity, an antidote to the high pressure of modern life, a means of regaining serenity and equilibrium.” ― Sigurd Olson. Photo looking toward the crest of the Sierra Nevada and Mount Abbott and its environs from Pioneer Basin, 2018. That it is. When we get into … Continue reading Into the Wilderness
Into the Wilderness
Wallace Stegner, who is known as a novelist, short story writer, environmentalist, and historian, wrote these words in his famous, "Wilderness Letter," “Something will have gone out of us as a people if we ever let the remaining wilderness be destroyed ... We simply need that wild country available to us, even if we never … Continue reading Into the Wilderness
Into the Wilderness
Author and essayist Loren Eiseley once told us, “It is a commonplace of all religious thought, even the most primitive, that the man seeking visions and insight must go apart from his fellows and love for a time in the wilderness.” Indeed, how commonplace it is. It is into the wilderness that we go when … Continue reading Into the Wilderness
Christmas, the Great Adventure
The advent of our Savior is truly a great adventure. “Advent” is the root word for adventure, giving the impression of the arrival or appearance of something risky and wondrous. The Advent we celebrate has a wild and risky edge to it, because our God has always chosen wildness as one of His trademarks. Listen … Continue reading Christmas, the Great Adventure
The Advent of the Covenant
Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote, “The celebration of Advent is possible only to those who are troubled in soul, who know themselves to be poor and imperfect, and who look forward to something greater to come.” Bonhoeffer is speaking to the fact that only those who are troubled and humbled by their own condition are able to … Continue reading The Advent of the Covenant
Christmas: Rescue and Transfer
He had fallen and landed on a ledge. He needed help. I had a group of student climbers out on the rock for an all-day class on leading and anchors. I could see another party on the rock to my left. One of their members was laying on a ledge some distance below the top. … Continue reading Christmas: Rescue and Transfer
Into the Wilderness
Here is a little wilderness inspiration as we slip deeper into the Winter. These are pictures from a wilderness trip in July 2019 to the White Cloud Peaks in the Salmon River country of central Idaho. One of my favorite “secret spots” in the wild western places. Read on at the end of the post … Continue reading Into the Wilderness
Advent: The Appearing
“The Lord is coming, always coming. When you have ears to hear and eyes to see, you will recognize him at any moment of your life. Life is Advent; life is recognizing the coming of the Lord.” _ Heri Nouwen The season of Advent celebrations has begun. The term, “Advent,” means “coming” or “appearing.” We … Continue reading Advent: The Appearing
Just another day in cow camp
For generations my family has lived in the mountains, most recently the Sierra Nevada. My grandfather and his father ran a small cattle operation near Yosemite National Park for a number of years. This entailed a three-day cattle drive (complete with a chuck wagon) up into the high country every spring, and the return drive … Continue reading Just another day in cow camp
Life on the Northern Plains
Here is a bit of what keeps us going through the winter on the Northern Plains. We are told we will be enjoying 10 or more major snow events this year. We are also told it will likely be colder this year than last year. Last winter was punctuated by several cold snaps in the … Continue reading Life on the Northern Plains
